Welcome!

Hi there.

You probably don't know me, so I wanted to introduce myself and tell you what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.

I love to cook. I find that it is a great way to unwind after a stressful day. Yesterday, I went to the doctor and felt kind of blah, so I bought some wine and whipped up some bruschetta. Later, I was still feeling funky, so I made some chocolate chip cookies. It's amazing how just the smell of vanilla and the sound of the food processor can perk you up. Not to mention the healing properties of chocolate ... let's get it out of the way right now: I am a chocolate junkie.

I decided to write this blog, because when you are a single girl and love to cook (and could stand to lose a few pounds), you have to share the fruits of your labor with others. And everytime I feed someone, they ask me for the recipe. Every single time. I really can't think of one thing I've ever made that someone said, "Oh, that sucks. I never want to eat it again, and I surely don't need to know how to cook it."

So, in response to all the queries of "Can I get the recipe for that?" and, perhaps, some inspiration from too much vino and watching "Julie & Julia," I have decided to create this cooking blog. It is my hope that it will inspire me to spend more time in my kitchen, make more creative things and maybe even take a few photos of supper now and then.

My goal here is to tell you what I'm eating each day and provide, at the minimum, a recipe, and maybe some links to Web sites and photos. So, the hope is that everyday there will be at least one new recipe here.

Before you get all excited, here is the fine print:

1. Very rarely will the recipes be my own. But I swear you will not only have a full belly but know about probably every cookbook and cooking Web site available by the time we get done. I am not a creative cook (although when I have tips and embellishments, I will share them with you); I am just a good cook. If you are intimidated by cooking, this blog will definitely get you started.

2. I am not a gourmet. I am just an everyday person cooking everyday. Sometimes there will be fancy recipes with all kinds of yummies made from scratch (like my zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting). Other times, you will get my taco lasanga recipe that I make with Kraft Mac and Cheese.

3. Yep, I said it. I use short cuts. A lot. Yes, I can make pasta sauce by scratch, and I do. But other nights, I get home at 7 p.m. and I use Ragu. It just depends. If you're on some sort of all-natural and organic kick, then wait for me to do something that's really homemade. But you shouldn't be so quick to write off those biscuits in the plastic sack that I keep in the freezer for breakfast emergencies.

4. Lastly, my recipes sometimes aren't even real recipes. You'll see that when I tell you about tonight's dinner. I promise even if I don't tell you exactly how much salt to put in down to the 1/4 teaspoon, it will still taste delicious. If it doesn't taste delicious I will tell you in my commentary for the recipes.

And yes, I know some of you are reading this because you know me. And I will take requests. After all, that would help answer that age-old question: "What's for dinner?"

With that, my friends, bon appetit!